The present invention relates to a can or bottle drink carton designed to expand into a larger carton in order to make room for ice to keep rinks cold. More particularly, this invention relates to systems in which the same carton in which the can or bottle drinks were purchased can be used for cooling. It is believed best classified in U.S. Class 229 Subclasses 101 or 103.
Various types of ice chests are made to keep can and bottle drinks cold. Various types of cartons are made to store and display can and bottle drinks. Both types of containers work well for their intended purposes. However, the present invention combines them into one ice chest carton design. This invention is a quick and easy way to purchase can or bottle products and an ice chest to keep them cold at one time.
The prior art discloses expandable cardboard containers that allow the products in these containers to be iced. These containers are generally expanded by means of a pull tab to release panels which may then be folded out and interlocked with one another. In some instances the panels are secured by a device such as a band or a button.
Rosenstiel U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,494 issued Jan. 28, 1964 discloses a convertible package that is generally intended to be a box for a bottle of champaign or wine. It may be deployed into a funnel shaped ice bucket to hold the bottle of wine or champaign. This package is made from a single piece of fanfolded cardboard and employs button which pass through alternate layers of the cardboard when the package is undeployed and deployed.
Graser U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,923 discloses a picnic cooler container which is basically a rectangular cardboard box with expanding pockets on its ends and a plastic barrier inside the box.
Dorsey U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,772 discloses a method to treat cardboard to make it water resistant.
Krieg U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,337 discloses a combination ice package and expandable cooler which basically comprises a cardboard box in which the top is expandable to allow ice to be spread over the to of the contents of the carton.
Kessler U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,506 discloses a device similar to Krieg's.
It is therefore desirous to provide an instant ice chest package that avoids cumbersome arrangements and allows a single pull of a tab and/or tug on the compartment to deploy each compartment, ready to receive ice. Further advantages desired include a greater area of exposure to the ice, the absences of non-biodegradable barriers, ability to package multiple cans or bottles and transportability while iced.